Saints Ticket Holders Could Be In For a Treat in 2016

For collectors of memorabilia that involve the New Orleans Saints fans will likely have a unique opportunity this season and for season ticket holders like myself who are both then you’ll be in for a treat.

As all Who Dats know the team is celebrating 50 “golden” years of the franchise and it looks like it will be reflected on the tickets that go out this month in a unique way.

A few days ago, the Saints gave an early first look at one of the tickets that will be assigned to the preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens on September 1st; and it showcases one of the top ten plays in Saints history — the interception by former cornerback Tracy Porter against the Minnesota Vikings in the January 2010 NFC Championship game, from the 2009 season that sent the Saints to the Super Bowl.

The image of Porter with his arms outstretched shows him immediately following the play where he imitated the well known “calf-roping” sack celebration of then Vikings defensive end Jared Allen.

While the Saints usually keep the look of the tickets and what players will be on them under wraps (though Brees is a 100% given), it could be a unique way to give ticket holders something different; as many have compared it to opening a Christmas present in July when the big envelope arrives in the mail.

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It also gives us a bit of insight as to what plays / players may adorn the remaining tickets, since the Top 10 plays of the Saints franchise just happen to match the number of season tickets (two preseason and eight home games) that will arrive shortly.

The Saints website shows the actual footage of these plays that so far have been Porter’s interception, running back John Gilliam’s 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in 1967 that was the first regular season game in the franchise’s history, the blocked punt by Steve Gleason against the Atlanta Falcons on the night the Superdome reopened following Hurricane Katrina, and the play that Drew Brees broke the record held by Johnny Unitas for consecutive games with a touchdown pass.

Dec 21, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) gestures after a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Lions won, 35-27. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Gleason’s has already been assigned to the upcoming Monday Night Game at the Superdome against the Atlanta Falcons on September 26th (just one day shy of the original play that occurred on September 25th, 2006).

Gilliam’s famous play came against the Los Angeles Rams; who the Saints play at home on November 27th — making that the likely destination for his tribute.

But as the case was with Porter, Brees would have to be assigned a game other than the team he accomplished his famous play against (the game vs. the San Diego Chargers on October 7, 2012); since they do play the Chargers this season but it’s an away game.

Of course, Gilliam could always be moved to another ticket as well; though the Rams game makes the most sense — especially since another play in Saints history that personally ranks up in my own Top 10 Saints plays also came against the Rams franchise: the Saints first playoff win against the then-St. Louis Rams in the NFC Wild Card game on December 30, 2000.

Or Saints fans remember it as:  “Hakim Drops The Ball!”

The Saints player to recover the muffed punt from Rams return man Az-Zahir Hakim was fullback Brian Milne — who the team’s play by play announcer Jim Henderson proclaimed as the most “unlikely hero of them all”, considering Milne was a journeyman player regulated to special teams.

The play made Henderson scream in exhausted elation that “there is a God after all” and caused his radio partner, the late, great and much-beloved Hokie Gajan, to laugh so hard he could barely comment on the play as Henderson continued to let out loud sighs of relief and whooping giggles on air.

Once again, I haven’t seen that this idea for the tickets has been set in stone; but it is a huge coincidence involving the Top 10 all-time plays of the team, of which Porter just happens to be one.

All in all, it would be a nice treat for season ticket holders to have for future memories and as a keepsake of the team’s “golden” anniversary…….